What is the difference between preg_split() and explode() in PHP, and when should each be used?

The main difference between preg_split() and explode() in PHP is that preg_split() allows for the use of regular expressions to define the delimiter, while explode() only accepts a string as the delimiter. If you need to split a string using a regular expression pattern, then preg_split() is the appropriate choice. On the other hand, if you simply need to split a string using a fixed string delimiter, then explode() is more suitable.

// Using preg_split() to split a string using a regular expression pattern as the delimiter
$string = "apple,orange,banana";
$items = preg_split("/,/", $string);
print_r($items);

// Using explode() to split a string using a fixed string delimiter
$string = "apple,orange,banana";
$items = explode(",", $string);
print_r($items);